President Jimmy Carter soothed some of the Egyptian concerns by arranging the Sadat-Begin Treaty, which restored the Sinai to Egyptian control. But then he failed to interfere with the return of the Ayatollah to Iran, an error by which we are still victimized.

Morsi must realize that he cannot have his cake and eat it too -- attempting to embrace Tehran on one hand and the West and rest of the Arab world on the other. He is trying to be all things to all people, which will not work.

Given how low Washington is regarded by the average person in Egypt and the Arab Street, China should not have too much difficulty inserting itself as a wedge between them going forward. Based on Mr. Morsi's bold strides in foreign policy, China knows it has a friend in Cairo.

Gaddafi is a sad example of the maxim about absolute power corrupting absolutely. People like me who relish political theater of the absurd will miss the "Leader;" but most of his people, I suspect, will not.